ACTION SUMMARY NOVEMBER 20, 2003
CITY COMMISSION ROOM, CITY HALL, 6 E. 6TH STREET
7:00 P.M.
PRESENT: Commissioners McKenzie, Lodwick, Messick, Dean, Stuewe and Hickam.
Staff members Lynne Zollner, Katie Ambler and Amy Saker
One typographical change was requested to the October Action Summary.
Motioned by Comm. Stuewe, seconded by Comm. Dean to approve the minutes of the October 23, 2003 meeting as revised.
Motion carried unanimously, 6-0.
There was no additional correspondence.
ITEM NO. 3: DR-10-72-03: 1532 Delaware; Addition; Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Mark Russell for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of the Samuel Riggs House (1501 Pennsylvania), National Register of Historic Places.
APPLICANT PRESENTATION
Mark Russell, architect for the project, spoke on behalf of the property owner. Mr. Russell explained the applicant’s intent to construct an addition to the existing structure, including a master bedroom and a bathroom. The detailing would be designed to match that of the existing structure.
It was established that a crawl space would lie under the new construction, rather than a concrete slab or a basement.
Staff noted that the applicant had agreed to retain the existing curb cuts and that larger-scale drawings with additional detail had been provided.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No member of the public spoke on this Item.
COMMISSION DISCUSSION
It was discussed that the condition for additional drawings should be left as a condition of approval.
ACTION TAKEN
Motioned by Comm. Dean, seconded by Comm. Lodwick to approve the Certified Local Government Review for the project at 1532 Delaware, based on the determination that it would not encroach upon, damage or destroy any listed property or its environs and subject to the following conditions:
1. The applicant retains and reuses the original curb cuts; and
2. The applicant will submit complete construction documents with window specifications and material notations, staff will review and approve any modifications.
Motion carried unanimously, 6-0.
ITEM NO. 4: MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
A. Review of any demolition permit applications received since October 23, 2003 regular meeting.
STAFF PRESENTATION
Staff described the single demolition permit presented for the Commission’s consideration. This was for demolition of the garage at 835 Alabama, a property that had been discussed on the October 2003 agenda.
No applicant had been present at the October meeting and no information had been provided by the applicant as to the state of the primary or accessory structure. This month the Commission had been given a letter stating the level of disrepair of the garage proposed for demolition.
The applicant was requesting permission to remove the existing garage structure and indicated he was looking into rehabilitating the primary structure. There was no intention at this time to replace the garage.
It was possible the same contractor would be used for both projects and Comm. Hickam explained he had seen and approved of other work done by this contractor.
APPLICANT PRESENTATION
The applicant was not present.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No member of the public spoke on this issue.
COMMISSION DISCUSSION
It was discussed that the letter submitted with the application appeared to refer to both the garage and the primary structure. However, the demolition permit and tonight’s consideration applied only to the garage.
Staff explained that the Commission could deal with the request in two ways. The Commission could make a motion regarding the request, or direct Staff to deal with the request administratively. The latter was the more typical method, but Staff had brought the issue forward based on the related request on the previous month’s agenda.
Staff provided a map showing the relation of the subject property to the Achning House.
ACTION TAKEN
The Commission directed Staff to deal administratively with the demolition permit for the garage at 835 Alabama.
B. Architectural Review Committee and Administrative Reviews since the October 23, 2003 regular meeting.
There were no ARC issues to be discussed.
DR-10-71-03: 647 Massachusetts; Signs; Certificate of Appropriateness and Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Luminous Neon for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of the Eldridge Hotel (701 Massachusetts) and the Old Post Office (645 New Hampshire), National Register of Historic Places and the House Building (729-731 Massachusetts), State Register of Historic Places. The property is also located within the Downtown Urban Conservation Overlay District.
DR-10-73-03: 738 Massachusetts; Walkway; Certificate of Appropriateness and Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Fred Butler for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of the Eldridge Hotel (701 Massachusetts), National Register of Historic Places, the House Building (729-731 Massachusetts), State Register of Historic Places, and Miller’s Hall (723-725 Massachusetts) Lawrence Register of Historic Places. The property is also located in the Downtown Urban Conservation Overlay District.
DR-10-74-03: 745 Ohio; Front Porch Repairs; Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Jack Rose for the property owner of record. The property is in the Old West Lawrence Historic District, National Register of Historic Places.
COMMISSION DISCUSSION
Staff explained in response to questioning that this project had not been presented to Staff in pursuit of State Tax Credits. However, the applicant would be meeting with the CDBG – independently from Staff – to discuss qualifying for Community Block Grant funding.
The applicant would then meet again with Staff to determine if the Grant requirements still met Staff’s expectations for the project.
DR-10-78-03: 646 Alabama; Sign; Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Star Sign and Graphics for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of the McCurdy House (909 W. 6th Street), National Register of Historic Places.
DR-10-79-03: 1109 Tennessee; Boarding House; Certificate of Appropriateness and Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Hernly Associates, Inc. for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of the Dr. Frederick Morse House (1041 Tennessee), National and Lawrence Registers of Historic Places, the Oread Historic District, and E.H.S. Bailey Residence, Lawrence Register of Historic Places.
COMMISSION DISCUSSION
It was noted that this neighborhood was sensitive to this type of change, but the area was in fact zoned appropriately for the proposed project.
DR-10-80-03: 711 E. 23rd Street; Demolition; Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by Douglas County Public Works for the property owner of record. The property is in the environs of Haskell Stadium (Haskell University Campus), National Register of Historic Places.
DR-10-81-03: 402 N. 2nd Street; Gutter repair; Certified Local Government Review. Submitted by the City of Lawrence, the property owner of record. The property is listed on the State Register of Historic Places.
ACTION TAKEN
Motioned by Comm. Dean, seconded by Comm. Stuewe to approve the seven (7) Administrative Reviews as presented by Staff.
Motion carried unanimously, 6-0.
A. Provide comment on variance (BZA) requests received since October 23, 2003.
There were no BZA requests for consideration.
B. Miscellaneous matters from City staff and Commission members.
1. Ms. Zollner explained that she and Planning Director Linda Finger would be attending the regularly-scheduled meeting of the Pinckney Neighborhood Association this Saturday, November 22, 2003. The meeting would begin at 10 a.m. at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital auditorium.
Staff would be answering questions about the ongoing project to create a new Historic District for the Pinckney Neighborhood. Members of the Commission were welcome to attend.
2. Staff presented an informal draft of the 2004 meeting schedule. The Commissioners were asked to review their personal calendars and notify Staff of possible conflicts.
The Commission would receive an official draft, complete with submission dates, at the December meeting for formal adoption.
3. It was noted that Comm.’s Stuewe and Messick were nearing the end of their terms.
4. Staff explained that three (3) Administrative Reviews had been removed from tonight’s agenda because negotiations with the applicant were still ongoing. It was likely these Items would appear on December’s agenda.
5. Comm. Dean suggested the Commission consider forwarding a letter to the governing bodies, the SHPO and other local representatives stating the Commission’s support of retaining the Environs Review at the State Level. Staff was directed to draft this letter and bring it to the December meeting for consideration.
6. Staff was directed to begin investigating the process involved in placing State and Nationally listed properties on the Local Register.
7. Staff was asked to send electronic reminders to the Commission to return comments on the Historic Preservation Element of Horizon 2020. Some Commissioners expressed a preference to be contacted electronically for other issues, such as attendance.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Andrew Peterson, who had attended the October meeting, came forward to provide additional information regarding a project that had been considered on the October agenda. The project had been a request (initiated by the City) to demolish a structure at 933 Rhode Island, which the HRC had denied with the understanding that the City Commission would likely overturn their decision based on safety issues.
The structure in question had been allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair that it posed a significant safety hazard, potentially collapsing into the adjacent alley.
Mr. Peterson had commented at the October meeting that he would support any effort by the Commission or the City to prevent other instances of what was termed “demolition by neglect”.
Following the October HRC meeting, Mr. Peterson had visited the Rhode Island site and had come before the Commission tonight to explain that the north wall of the structure facing demolition also served as the south wall of the adjacent property. This obviously posed a problem for the adjacent property, which Mr. Peterson stated was in excellent condition except for the wall it shared with the subject property.
It was assumed that the property owner would be financially responsible for the demolition.
The Commission suggested the owner of the adjacent property should attend the City Commission meeting to speak about the 933 Rhode Island demolition and asked Staff to keep the HRC notified about the status of the project.
ADJOURN – 7:38 p.m.
Official minutes are on file in the Planning Department.